MEMORISE:
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Matthew 5:6

READ: John 4:31-34
31 In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat.

32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.

33 Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?

34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

MESSAGE:
It is a common saying that salvation is free. While this is true because no one can pay for the salvation Jesus offers, the reality is that Jesus already paid for it on our behalf. Thus, we would be correct if we say salvation is not free after all. Also, it is not free because recipients too have a token to offer in obtaining eternal life, as we will see today.

In Matthew 13:45-46, Jesus describes how precious the Kingdom of God is, by likening it to what a rich man had to sell all his fortune for. In Matthew 5:29-30, Jesus explained how important it is to gain entrance into the Kingdom of God by advising that we do away with anything that would disqualify us from gaining entry into God’s presence, even if it’s eye!

Today, some Christians are very careless with matters of Heaven. So many people trivialize sin and the harm it is capable of wreaking on their souls. Revelations 21:8 contains a plain truth about the kingdom of God:
“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Jesus calls us into free salvation but He adds in Matthew 11:29
“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”

This is the cost of eternal life- meekness. This is why He said “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5). These no doubt are the cost of discipleship that we must pay to access the free salvation that gives eternal life. Beloved, if you desire eternal life, you must bear the cost even though Jesus has paid the supreme price.

It is sad that today, some leaders in the Church are encouraging people to be comfortable with sin. They explain away the reality of and teach grace with gross irresponsibility. You must do away with such people. Today is the day of salvation, now is the acceptable time. Make your way right with God now.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please put in my heart the hunger and thirst for righteousness.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Samuel 22-24.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 27: TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE.

1. Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
*Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise.

2. Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee.

3. Take my voice and let me sing,
Always, only for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee.

4. Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose.

5. Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne.

6. Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.

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MEMORISE:
And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. Luke 12:15

READ: Exodus 18:21
21 Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:

MESSAGE:

Covetousness is a major challenge both in the Church and in the world today. Worldliness too has become a great foe of the Church and it appears many Christians (irrespective of how long they have been in the faith), are being carried along. This may be because even they are victims of this sinful habit.

Our Lord Jesus, in today’s memory verse warns us against covetousness. Covetousness can be described as an inordinate desire for material or non-material possessions, especially those of another individual. In Exodus 20:17, the Lord warns against coveting someone else’s possession or spouse. The vanity in being covetous is captured in Ecclesiastes 5:10-11 which says:
“He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity. When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes?”

In 1 Timothy 6:6-9, Apostle Paul wrote to warn us against the menace of worldliness and covetousness. He encouraged believers to embrace godliness with contentment which is great again. He said also that “….they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.” (1 Timothy 6:9). John corroborates this in 1 John 2:15-17 where he warned us against worldliness, saying:
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him….. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof…”

Beloved, how far have you been dragged into the world? How far has the world been dragged into you? Are you not running after those things that did not matter to you years ago? Even the rich are now running into the Church; they want peace and satisfaction. They envy believers and want to share in our heritage. While they are running to God for peace and joy, many of us have thrown away these blessings that money cannot buy, for the vanity of this world. Remain where God has established you.

ACTION POINT:

Mortify any form of lust in your life- the lust of the flesh, of the eyes and the pride of life, so you can enjoy everlasting joy and peace.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezra 10.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 14: JESUS MY LORD, MY GOD, MY ALL.
1. Jesus, my Lord, my God, my All,
How can I love thee as I ought?
And how revere this wondrous gift,
So far surpassing hope or thought?
Sweet Sacrament, we thee adore;
Refrain:
Oh, make us love thee more and more.
Oh, make us love thee more and more.

2. Had I but Mary’s sinless heart
To love thee with, my dearest King,
Oh, with what bursts of fervant praise
Thy goodness, Jesus, would I sing.
Sweet Sacrament, we thee adore;

3. Thy Body, Soul, and Godhead, all,
O mystery of love divine.
I cannot compass all I have,
For all thou hast and art are mine.
Sweet Sacrament, we thee adore;

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MEMORISE:
I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Psalm 91:2

READ: Psalm 71:3-7
3 Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.

4 Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.

5 For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth.

6 By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother’s bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee.

7 I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge.

MESSAGE:
The Most High is also a fortress. A fortress is where you go out from to fight. After you have stayed in the refuge for some time and have prepared for the battle, it will become your fortress. A fortress is where you put on your armor, get all your strength and then go out to battle. For a child of God, the Almighty God is not only your refuge, He is also your fortress. Jehovah- Nissi is not just a God who defends; He also attacks! He is the Divine Fortress for genuine children of God. The God who told Elijah to hide was also the One who told him to go forth and fight, after some time. We see a different Elijah in 1 Kings 18:40:

Another example in 1 Samuel 17:43-45, Goliath had cursed David by the name of his gods and the alter handed him over to the Lord of Hosts. Goliath was disappointed by his gods and weapons whereas David was protected by the Everlasting Arms of the Almighty. Deuteronomy 33:27 says:

Our God never losses a war: David discovered this truth, no wonder he said “Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort….” (Psalm 71:3) knowing fully well that no evil shall befall anyone who makes God his or her habitation (Psalm 91:9-10).

When you make the Almighty your habitation, you must live holy because He is holy. Some people cannot be offered the opportunity to spend time with prominent people simply because they are dirty. If you don’t want to short change yourself of the benefits of living with the King of kings and the Lord of lords, then you have to do away with sinful habits. When you make God your fortress, He will deliver you from the wickedness of life. As you live a life of holiness, God will be your habitation in Jesus’ name.

ACTION POINT:
Take inventory of your life; begin to take steps towards changing anything that may disqualify you from having the Lord as your Sure Fortress.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezra 8-9.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 21: ROCK OF AGES, CLEFT FOR ME.
1. Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
Save from wrath and make me pure.

2. Not the labor of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.

3. Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless, look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Savior, or I die.

4. While I draw this fleeting breath,
When my eyes shall close in death,
When I rise to worlds unknown,
And behold Thee on Thy throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.

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MEMORISE:

The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Psalm 9:9

READ: Psalm 71:1-2
1 In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.

2 Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me.

MESSAGE:
Knowledge, particularly godly knowledge is power. This is why Paul in Philippians 3:10 prayed:
“That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;”

The Almighty God is our sure refuge and fortress. However, that only applies if you are His child. A refuge is somewhere you hide when trouble is looming. For me, this place is the presence of God.

Sometimes, hiding is not cowardice. it could be wisdom, provided you are hiding with the Sure Refuge. Even gallant warriors learn to hide; it is a military strategy. There are several occasions in the Bible when God told His prophets to hide. In 1Kings 17:1-3, Elijah pronounced before a king that there would be no rain until he commanded so. Immediately after he did, God asked him to hide. Is this not strange? Was God afraid of the king? Definitely not! When God says you should hide, what it implies is that the battle is no longer yours but His. I have learnt to hide when God says I should. In Matthew 2:13-15, God told Joseph to take Mary and the baby Jesus into hiding. Even the Son of God had to be taken into hiding. He was hidden so that God could deal with Herod. eventually, Herod was smitten by an angel and eaten by worms thereafter (Acts 12:21-23). If God ask me to hide so He can fight for me, I will gladly do so.

Like the Psalmist in Psalm 71:1-2, when our trust in the Lord is total, we would not need anyone to persuade us to exercise faith. One of my sons told the story of how he destroyed all his charms after he gave his life to Christ. Thus, it became difficult for him to think of going back. Pay attention to the second verse of our Bible reading:
“Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me.”

Only the righteousness of God can make us victorious over the attacks of the enemy. A life of holiness makes God incline His ears to our cry in times of trouble. The promise of God in Psalm 91:14-15 is for those who love Him, know His name and keep His commandments. I pray God will be your sure refuge from today in Jesus’ mighty name.

ACTION POINT:
Put your trust in the Lord and shun all worldly alternatives from today.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezra 6-7.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 23: STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF CHRIST MY KING.

1. Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
Through eternal ages let His praises ring,
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God.

o Refrain:
Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of God my Savior;
Standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.

2. Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.

3. Standing on the promises I now can see
Perfect, present cleansing in the blood for me;
Standing in the liberty where Christ makes free,
Standing on the promises of God.

4. Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,
Bound to Him eternally by love’s strong cord,
Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,
Standing on the promises of God.

5. Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
List’ning every moment to the Spirit’s call,
Resting in my Savior as my all in all,
Standing on the promises of God.

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MEMORISE:

He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. Psalm 107:20

READ: Jeremiah 33:1-9
1 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah the second time, while he was yet shut up in the court of the prison, saying,

2 Thus saith the LORD the maker thereof, the LORD that formed it, to establish it; the LORD is his name;

3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

4 For thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, which are thrown down by the mounts, and by the sword;

5 They come to fight with the Chaldeans, but it is to fill them with the dead bodies of men, whom I have slain in mine anger and in my fury, and for all whose wickedness I have hid my face from this city.

6 Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth.

7 And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to return, and will build them, as at the first.

8 And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me.

9 And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them: and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it.

MESSAGE:
The word is more potent than any two-edged sword, according to the following passage from Hebrews 4:12:
“ For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

It is unfortunate, however, that some Christians trivialize the word of God and so lose its benefits. When the word of God comes to an individual in the form of prophecy, scriptures or other means, wisdom should tell the fellow to pay close attention to it.

Going by our text of today and the memory verse, we can see that the word was sent to the people of Judah for deliverance and restoration of their freedom which they had in battle to the Chaldeans. Never allow yourself to lose focus so that you would know when God sends a specific word of prophecy that could settle your case.

Typically, in the Old Testament before the children of Israel went to war, the word of God would go forth- announcing their victories and that always settled the battle. Sometimes in Church services and programmes, God sends forth prophesies that would have settled people’s cases before they even begin to pray, I prophesy to you: your life, marriage. Business or career will receive the peace of God now, in Jesus’ name.

It is also comforting that the word of God offers spiritual cleansing.
“And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me.” Jeremiah 33:8

Thus, every child of God must read, study and meditate upon the word of God day and night (Joshua 1:8). We must partake of the word of God being taught and preached in Sunday School, Bible Study and Christian teaching seminars. The Bible says:
“….even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,” Ephesians 5:25-26

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please help me to align my life to conform to Your word. Through Your word, deliver me today from every bondage.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezra 3-5.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 2: AMAZING GRACE, HOW SWEET THE SOUND.

1. Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.

2. ’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.

3. Through many dangers, toils, and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

4. The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my Shield and Portion be,
As long as life endures.

5. Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

6. The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.

7. When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun. Okay

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MEMORISE:

Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 1 Peter 5:2

READ: Matthew 28:19-20

19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

MESSAGE:
The situation in Jeremiah’s time as seen in today’s Bible reading closely reflects the true state of affairs of God’s people. The Bible says that all these were written as examples for those who shall be alive at the end-times. The ongoing fulfilment of end-time prophesies is an indication that the end is near ( 1 Corinthians 10:11). In this end-time, many pastors and preachers are no longer building precious stones on the Sure Foundation- Jesus Christ. Rather they are building rubble, that is, basing their sermons on modern ideologies in order to make Christianity acceptable to the 21st century generation. 1 Peter 2:2 says:
“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:”

Many modern-day pastors and ministers of the gospel are failing to live by Apostle Paul’s instruction in 2 Timothy 4:2, 5:
“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine…..But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.”

The Bible encourages ministers of the gospel against negligence in their service. Ezekiel 3:11 says:
“……go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear…..”

Ezekiel was also told not to consider their unfriendly countenance but rather give the word as he was asked to (Ezekiel 2:6).

As a Christian parent, you need to take cognizance of today’s message for your family. Your home is the God-given flock you are to nurture in the fear of the Lord.

Followers however, also have the duty to crosscheck what they are being taught by their leaders, like the Berean Christians (Acts 17:11).

Are you a shepherd or a wolf? Think about this and may the Lord grant you understanding in Jesus’ Name.

Be a good under-shepherd, building your flock not on the rubble of modern ideologies but on the solid foundation of the word of God. Ensure that you study and teach the undiluted word of the Good Shepherd.

PRAYER POINT:
Pray for all genuine ministers around the world, that they will preach the gospel without fear or favor.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezra 1-2.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 8: HO, MY COMRADES! SEE THE SIGNAL.

1. Ho, my comrades, see the signal, waving in the sky!
Reinforcements now appearing, victory is nigh.

o Refrain:
“Hold the fort, for I am coming,” Jesus signals still;
Wave the answer back to Heaven, “By Thy grace we will.”

2. See the mighty host advancing, Satan leading on;
Mighty ones around us falling, courage almost gone!

3. See the glorious banner waving! Hear the trumpet blow!
In our Leader’s Name we triumph over every foe.

4. Fierce and long the battle rages, but our help is near;
Onward comes our great Commander, cheer, my comrades, cheer!

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MEMORISE:

Let all things be done decently and in order. 1 Corinthians 14:40

READ: 2 Thessalonians 3:6-7

6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.

7 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;

MESSAGE:

Many people do not know the depth of the saying “Our Father is a God of order”. They quote this statement without giving it much thought. Orderliness is a characteristic of Heaven as we see in Psalm 136:5-9. Every confusion in your life will be divinely ordered today in the mighty name of Jesus. The Lord will set in order all that pertains to you in Jesus’ name. In the beginning God ordered the course of the universe by His word. This is the reason we must give the word of God prominence in our lives. The Lord said “….I will hasten my word to perform it” (Jeremiah 1:12).

The Almighty God does not hold His word lightly like some of us do. Bible teachings come in form of doctrines which we must follow if we are to live orderly lives. Jesus Christ said:
“If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.” John 7:17

Disobedience to God’s order brings chaos and calamity (Genesis 2:15-16, Genesis 3:2-5 and 16-19). I encourage you to begin to value the word of God even as He Himself values it.
“…for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.” Psalm 138:2

By His word, the Almighty ordered the course of the universe – the seas in their places, the dry land, the animals and variety of vegetation. God had made provision for everything that man needs. This means that lack was not originally planned to characterize the life of man. To avoid lack, you must pay close attention to the words of the Great Provider.

May the Lord provide in abundance everything that you need in this season, in the mighty name of Jesus.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please set my life in order and don’t allow lack to disorganize me in the mighty name of Jesus.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Samuel 17-18

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 14: JESUS MY LORD, MY GOD, MY ALL.

1. Jesus, my Lord, my God, my All,
How can I love thee as I ought?
And how revere this wondrous gift,
So far surpassing hope or thought?
Sweet Sacrament, we thee adore;

Refrain:
Oh, make us love thee more and more.
Oh, make us love thee more and more.

2. Had I but Mary’s sinless heart
To love thee with, my dearest King,
Oh, with what bursts of fervant praise
Thy goodness, Jesus, would I sing.
Sweet Sacrament, we thee adore;

Refrain:

3. Thy Body, Soul, and Godhead, all,
O mystery of love divine.
I cannot compass all I have,
For all thou hast and art are mine.
Sweet Sacrament, we thee adore;

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MEMORISE:
In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, Titus 2:7

READ: John 15:1-5

1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

MESSAGE:

Fruitfulness has qualifications, so does growth. Fruitfulness could be negative if the source and nature are outside the plan of God for an individual’s life. There is a kind of Fruitfulness mentioned in the epistle of Paul to the Galatians which is of the flesh- bad and deadly:

“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings,…” Galatians 5:19-21

There could be positive and blessed fruitfulness as found in Galatians 5:22-23:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance…..”

Let us look at the secret behind blessed fruitfulness. In our Bible reading of today, it is clearly stated that abiding in Jesus Christ is the secret of bearing good fruit. The first secret of divine fruitfulness is being born again. Another secret is abiding in Jesus Christ. Jesus further said:
“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” John 15:5

How then can we abide in Jesus Christ? It is very simple. Obey all His commandments. John 15:7-8 says:
“If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.”

Beloved, one other fact is that everyone will eat out of whatever fruit he or she bears- be it good or bad. Therefore, it is wise for you to decide today whether you want to bear good or bad fruit. The good news is that everyone is capable of bearing good fruit provided the fellow comes into Jesus Christ by faith in the saving power in His blood. He said “…if ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed” (John 8:31).

PRAYER POINT:

Father, help me abide in Jesus Christ blessed fruitfulness.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Samuel 14:24-16

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 20: PRAISE TO THE LORD THE ALMIGHTY.

1. Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation!
All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near;
Praise Him in glad adoration.

2. Praise to the Lord, who o’er all things so wondrously reigneth,
Shelters thee under His wings, yea, so gently sustaineth!
Hast thou not seen how thy desires e’er have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?

3. Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee;
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee.

4. Praise to the Lord, who, when tempests their warfare are waging,
Who, when the elements madly around thee are raging,
Biddeth them cease, turneth their fury to peace,
Whirlwinds and waters assuaging.

5. Praise to the Lord, who, when darkness of sin is abounding,
Who, when the godless do triumph, all virtue confounding,
Sheddeth His light, chaseth the horrors of night,
Saints with His mercy surrounding.

6. Praise to the Lord, oh, let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him;
Let the Amen sound from His people again,
Gladly for aye we adore Him.

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MEMORISE:

The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools. Proverbs 3:35

READ: Proverbs 8:1-8.

1 Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?

2 She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.

3 She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.

4 Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.

5 O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.

6 Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.

7 For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.

MESSAGE:
Proverbs 4:7 says wisdom is the principal thing because it promotes beyond human imagination. We also know that God promotes, thus we can say that belonging to God is wisdom. According to today’s memory verse, there are two types of promotions- glory and shame. There is glorious promotion for the wise and shameful promotion for the fools.

Who are the wise? Proverbs 1:7 says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Those who fear God are wise and because of this, they live a holy life. God says such people will have glorious promotions. Joseph is a classic example of a wise man. He feared God, abstained from sin (Genesis 39:9) and he was eventually promoted to become the Prime Minister of Egypt. It is foolishness to shun the cry of wisdom. Proverbs 14:16 says:
“A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident.”

Who are the foolish? Fools are those that know the “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23) and yet continue in sin. Fools are those who have decided to continue living in sin, despite knowing that without holiness, no one shall see God (Hebrews 12:14).

God will never lower His standards; He is perfect in His ways (Matthew 5:48). He is ready to promote you if you live holy. A glorious promotion puts you on top, it also comes with many responsibilities and advantages, it requires listening diligently to the voice of God and keeping His commandment to the letter (Deuteronomy 28:1). Unfortunately, many Christians of today have overstretched grace to the point where they only obey God’s commandment when it is convenient.

God will give you a glorious promotion if you keep His commandments. Being unfaithful, even in the “least” of God’s laws will be a hinderance. God’s children are always on top, enjoying divine promotion, special promotion and privileges, whereas those who are not obedient will suffer. I pray that the Lord will grant you the grace to live holy, in the mighty name of Jesus. Make up your mind never to live in sin again.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, put your fear in me so that I may shun evil for holy living. Grant me divine promotion this season, in the mighty name of Jesus.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Samuel 12-14:23.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 10: I’M PRESSING ON THE UPWARD WAY.

1. I’m pressing on the upward way,
New heights I’m gaining every day;
Still praying as I’m onward bound,
“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”

o Refrain:
Lord, lift me up and let me stand,
By faith, on Heaven’s tableland,
A higher plane than I have found;
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

2. My heart has no desire to stay
Where doubts arise and fears dismay;
Though some may dwell where those abound,
My prayer, my aim, is higher ground.

3. I want to live above the world,
Though Satan’s darts at me are hurled;
For faith has caught the joyful sound,
The song of saints on higher ground.

4. I want to scale the utmost height
And catch a gleam of glory bright;
But still I’ll pray till heav’n I’ve found,
“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”

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MEMORISE:

And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. Acts 14:23

READ: Joel 2:25-28

25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.

26 And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed.

27 And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.

28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

PRAYERS:
1. Father, we thank You for all our elders. Please help them to stay true to their calling as men and women of wisdom.
2. Father, please help all our elders to finish well. None of them will lose their place in Your kingdom in Jesus’ name.
3. Father, please heal all our elders who may be sick in their bodies. Touch them and take away the sickness and all its symptoms in Jesus’ name.
4. Father, let none of the elders suffer the sicknesses and diseases that plague people in their old age. Father, give them divine health.
5. Lord, as You used Moses until age one hundred and twenty years, please continue to use all our elders for Your glory.
6. Father, for those of our elders who have stopped dreaming, please give them the grace to begin to dream again. It is not over until You say so, Lord. Our elders will dream again in Jesus’ name.
7. Father, protect our elders in all their ways. Let the blood of Jesus speak for them every day. Let no harm come near them or their dwelling in Jesus’ name.
8. Father, if there are lands and territories our elders have not covered according to Your will for them, please, help them to arise with strength to take over these territories so their assignments are completed in Jesus’ name.
9. Lord, by mercy, none of our elders will be put to shame in Jesus’ name. Their enemies will not mock them in Jesus’ name.
10. Father, we decree that our elders are blessed with long life and good health. They will see their grandchildren and great-grandchildren even to the fourth generation in Jesus’ name.
11. Lord, no matter what happens, our elders will live fulfilled lives in Jesus’ name. They will see all their dreams come True in Jesus’ name. They will laugh for joy in in the Mighty name of Jesus.
12. Your personal prayer point for the elders around you.

THANKSGIVING:
Thank You Father for all our elders who You have faithfully kept to their old age. Thank You for keeping them in good health and sound mind. Thank You for protecting them despite all that is happening in the world today.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Samuel 8-11.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 11: ROCK OF AGES, CLEFT FOR ME.

1. Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
Save from wrath and make me pure.

2. Not the labor of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.

3. Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless, look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Savior, or I die.

4. While I draw this fleeting breath,
When my eyes shall close in death,
When I rise to worlds unknown,
And behold Thee on Thy throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.

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